West G High environmental team earns $10,000 in eco challenge

A team of eight students from West Geauga High School is one of 16 teams from across the country to earn $10,000 in scholarships and grants in the Lexus Eco Challenge, an educational program and contest that inspires and empowers young people to learn about the environment and take action to improve it.

The team is now qualified to participate in the Final Challenge for a chance at one of two $30,000 grand prizes.

The winning entry for the school was part of the Land/Water Challenge. The team's project tackled the issue of battery disposal in its community.

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The team initiated a battery recycling program at West Geauga High School, its local library, and other locations throughout Geauga and Lake counties.

The team decided to focus its efforts on battery recycling because the harmful chemicals contained in batteries can cause lasting health and environmental concerns if they leak into surrounding soil in landfills.

The students lobbied for and installed battery recycling bins in the Munson and Chester town halls, the West Geauga and Wickliffe school districts, and the Geauga West Library. The team also has had educational programs for the community.

"They're just tremendous kids. They do a lot inside the school and outside the school," Principal David Toth said. "It just shows the dedication of the teachers, the kids, and their parents. They're all involved as a team. That's usually what it takes to be successful as a school."

For each of the challenges, teams are required to define an environmental issue that is important to them, develop an action plan to address the issue, implement the plan, and report on the results.

"Today's teens have the energy and dedication to make the world a better place," said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager. "At Lexus, we're proud to give them the opportunity to show their capabilities to others, as well as discover their own potential to make a difference in their schools and communities."

The Final Challenge is currently taking place -- running through January and February -- and winners will be announced in March. For more information on the Lexus Eco Challenge, visit www.scholastic.com/lexus.